


On the Hunt

by Tandirra



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Oneshot, Sibling Bonding, if marvel doesnt give me some sibling bonding in ragnarok i will be unhappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 17:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10644828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tandirra/pseuds/Tandirra
Summary: Set long before any of the movies, and before Thor has Mjolnir. Some harmless hunting fun that probably happened all the time.





	

A morning chill roused Thor from his slumber. His body protested as he stretched away his sleep. Parting the curtains of the tent, Thor squinted in the light of the Vanaheim morning and rose to his full height. A soft mist prevaded their camp, the two other tents surrounding his disrupting the fog. A dark haired figure sat cross legged on the edge of their campsite. Thor smiled and walked towards it. “Brother, why are you up so early?”

Loki glanced back towards him, a slim smile curving his lips. “I could ask the same of you.”

Taking a seat next to his brother, Thor sighed. “I have a good feeling about today’s hunt.” Out of the corner of his eye Thor saw Loki briefly roll his eyes. “Come now-”

Grinning, Loki held up a hand. “I agree with you; even if I feel that I would rather be reading right about now. I simply wished to antagonize you.”

“It is too early for such things.”

“You lie.” Laughing, Loki ran a hand through his hair.

His brother’s laughter infecting him, Thor smiled despite himself. Their conversation echoed through the quiet forest. Shuffling sounds from the one remaining occupied tent followed as Loki’s laughter died away. “It sounds like we may have roused Sif; I am sure she will have some choice words for us.” Thor saw his brother scowl slightly but chose to ignore it as he turned to greet Sif, who was exiting her tent and adjusting to the sun. “Fine morning, is it not?”

She groaned and rubbed sleep from her eyes. “By the Norns, what time is it?”

Realizing how hungry he was, Thor grinned. “Not too early for breakfast.”

One meal, begrudgingly prepared by Loki, later and they were in the midst of packing their supplies. Slinging his pack over his shoulder, Thor twirled his axe in one hand. He glanced over at the other two. “The last known sighting of the beast is not too far a trek from here. Shall we?”

Sif grinned roguishly and nodded. Loki seemed less enthused but dipped his head and followed as Thor set off through the forest.

The three of them hiked through the trees; the forest sloped to an incline as the sun rose higher in the sky. Gradually, the thick evergreen trees grew more sparse and their travel slowed as the terrain became rockier. Soon after, the tall evergreens were replaced entirely by scruffy shrubs and the ground rose high above them. They stopped their climb briefly on a rocky outcropping. 

Thor frowned as he parsed out their path up the mountain. “This may be more of a challenge than I had predicted. Perhaps-”

A high pitched screech cut him off and Thor felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something shifted high above them, sending small rocks tumbling down around them. The shriek echoed eerily down off the rock face. 

Thor saw Loki glance from the distant mountaintop to him. “Perhaps this was a  _ bad  _ idea…”

Sif scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. “It is that thinking that has prevented one of these beasts from being slain in thousands of years.”

There was annoyance in Loki’s voice. “It is not as if no one has attempted it.  _ I told you _ before we left Asgard; we should have at least waited until the Warriors Three were free to come with us-”

“If you are going to act like a coward, Loki, then leave. Thor and I can deal with this beast just fine on our own.” Sif snapped at Loki, who scowled at her, equally angry.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Loki sighed. “You two will get yourselves killed without me. If that happens I shall never hear the end of it from mother and father. If I go with you at least we shall all die together and I will not have to tell them how foolishly we acted.”

Thor cleared his throat and adjusted his pack. “Well, we should move on! And keep our voices low, as to not disturb the beast.” He started the climb up the mountain’s rocky terrain.

After another mutual glare, his two companions followed.

The air grew colder and thinner; Thor shivered. Strange divots in the rock, as tall as him, caught Thor’s attention. They were all around them. The divots continued to grow in magnitude as they continued their climb.

Thor heard Loki whisper from beneath him. “I think those are… claw marks.”

Shushing his brother, Thor scrambled into a shallow alcove in the cliffs and motioned for the other two to join him. The three of them huddled together in the small space. Thor peered out above them, they were almost at the top. “We must be close.” His whisper bounced across the walls of the cave.

Sif, busy securing her hair in a knot, nodded. “Aye. The plan of attack remains the same?”

Their rest was short and tense. Thor and Sif sat in silence while Loki was busy muttering to himself; some of which Thor had to assume were spells and some that were definitely insults aimed at the two of them.

Once the wait became unbearable, Thor stood and moved towards the cave exit. “Now.” He swung his way up and out onto the cliffs again; the other two followed.

Another shriek cut the air, far louder and closer this time. The top of the mountain stirred and, with a jolt, Thor realized it wasn’t the mountain moving at all. A massive wing stretched out above them as the beast shifted. The mountain rumbled.

Thor quickened his ascent, ignoring how the cold rock cut into his hands. 

A shadow passed over him as the creature’s tail whipped past them once. It was almost within arm's length when it passed over again. Thor prepared himself for it to swing around a third time. As it made its next pass, he leapt off the cliffs with all his might; grabbing onto the tail.

Strange, grey, barbed fur coated the beasts skin and dug into Thor’s hands and arms but he held on tight as he was lifted high above the creature. He saw its full girth, which surely could have taken up over half of Asgard’s great hall, and a shiver went down his spine. His could hear his heartbeat in his ears. Dropping from the tail, Thor fell through the air, readying his axe. He landed hard between the shoulder blades of the beast, burying his axe beneath him.

The beast roared, though it sounded not too distressed. It shifted and Thor felt himself rising. The thing stood and whipped its long, grey plated neck around to look for him. It pierced Thor with slitted green eyes as tall as him. He hooked a hand through its thick fur. It looked ready to bite him off when it roared again and swung its head downwards. It spit and hissed as it began to beat its wings.

Wrenching his axe from its shoulders, Thor swung for one of its larger wings but missed as he was almost thrown off by its shifting weight. Holding his weapon tight, he crouched near to the creature. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Loki swing his way onto the beast’s left wing.

His brother slashed a dagger across the length of the wing as he tumbled down its side; leaving a long crimson gash in his wake. Hot blood rained down from the wound. By the time Loki landed next to Thor he was partially covered in the stuff. He grinned viciously, there was blood in his teeth as well. “You are the biggest, most idiotic,  _ fool  _ in the nine realms!” He staggered as the beast roared in pain.

Thor laughed. “This is far more fun than your books and you know it!” The two of them laughed for a moment before the creature pitched forward and they both lost their balance. Thor tumbled down the back of the creature but managed to hook an arm around one of its smaller wings. He saw Loki fall a while longer, just managing to get a fistful of the creature’s fur.

A shape appeared around the beast’s neck and Thor gasped. Sif hung onto the long neck of the beast for dear life as it spread its wings and took off. Thor could hear her yelling, either in exhilaration or fear. With a great heave, he pulled himself more sturdily upright and saw the landscape shrinking far beneath them. Turning quickly, Thor saw Loki struggling to do the same on his less even surface. Not hesitating, Thor leapt towards his brother and extended a hand; burying his axe into the creature’s back for support.

Loki took his hand and Thor pulled his brother back onto the beast slowly. They scarcely hand time to catch their breath before the beast tilted upwards. Axe still dug into its back, Thor was able to keep the two of them from being tossed about.

Wind howled around them and Thor heard Loki shouting above it. “We need to bring it down slowly! If we do not we shall surely perish!”

Thor nodded, unable to find his voice.

“I have an idea, but we need to weaken it more!” Loki’s words were almost lost to him as the beast screamed again but Thor understood and tugged his axe, scoring into the creature.

The beast’s tail whipped across its back, striking the two of them. Thor felt hot blood running down his forearm and grit his teeth, ignoring the gash. He saw a similar wound marring Loki’s cheek. Trying to avoid the beast’s tail; Thor dove for its largest wings, driving his axe into its flesh. He cut deep gashes into its shoulders; beside him he saw Loki follow suit.

Sif still clung to the beast’s neck, hacking at its thick bone plating.

The creature picked up speed and the wind whistled louder and louder in Thor’s ears. It pitched up and down at random intervals, shaking their purchase on its back. Its tail whipped dangerously around them, occasionally making contact and leaving gashes where it did.

Their flight seemed to last ages as Thor’s arms cried out in pain. Faintly, he heard Sif’s excited voice. “I cut through its armor. I can-” He saw her raise her spear.

Loki’s voice sounded from the left of him. “Wait! We need to get closer to the ground. Do not kill it yet!” Thor looked over to his brother who was now facing him, clutching onto the beast with a look of determination. “Do not let me get thrown off!” With that, Loki’s eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Alarmed, Thor leapt for his brother to go limp. To his surprise, Loki didn’t.

The beast roared again, more strained than it had been. It tilted downwards ever so slightly. Its wings, previously beating furiously, settled into a glide. They were moving no slower than before.

The ground hurtled towards them. Thor glanced nervously from the approaching trees to his unresponsive brother. He saw Sif still ready to strike, her spear pointed towards the beast’s neck. “Hold!”

The beast’s wing clipped the top of the evergreens and it began to slow by shear resistance. Their descent continued. Branches snagged at Thor’s hair and cut into his skin as they passed into the treeline.

Thor grit his teeth and squinted against the wind and branches. They were still moving fast but the ground grew closer. He looked from Loki to Sif who seemed to be struggling to hold onto her perch. 

They burst out of the treeline and into a massive field. Thor shouted for Sif. “Now!”

She plunged her spear deep into the beast’s exposed neck and pierced it clean through.

The creature shrieked, its scream shrill in Thor’s ears. He saw Loki’s face twisting and pulled his brother down for their landing.

Seconds before they hit the ground, the beast flared its wings and caught the air, cushioning its fall.

The earth shook and the creature gasped out its last hissing breaths; Thor, still clutching Loki, was thrown forward onto the soft grass below. He rolled across it; something crunched in his wrist and he grunted in pain. Their long skidding role came to a halt and Thor panted, face down in the lush greenery. His world spun dramatically.

He heard laughing from close by and Sif’s voice. “Aha! Yes!”

Head spinning, Thor struggled to his knees and shook Loki, who lay next to him.

His brother’s eyes snapped opened and he shot up, looking nauseous.

“Brother, what did you do?” Out of breath, Thor kept his weight off his bad wrist.

Loki didn’t respond at first; as he glanced from the downed beast to Sif, to Thor. “I- took control of its mind.” Loki ducked his head and shivered. “Dearly wish you had not killed it when it was still under my thrall.”

Assured that his brother was alright, Thor took in the felled creature and a great smile split his face. “We did it! They shall tell-”

Suddenly, the beast’s carcass began to smoke. Thick plumes of inky black rose into the sky. A noxious odor filled the air and attacked Thor’s senses, causing him to cough violently.

Scrambling to his feet, Thor looked to his companions. “What is happening?” 

Sif rushed over to them her eyes watered and she held a scrap of cloth over her mouth and nose. She shook her head, clearly confused as well. “Should we-”

“ _ Run! _ Let’s run!” Popping up, Loki took off towards the treeline. Thor and Sif followed as the smoke thickened. A roar of wind pulled at Thor’s hair and tugged him backwards, almost sending him sprawling. Fighting against the vortex, Thor scrambled behind a thick evergreen next to the other two.

The three of them looked at each other nervously.

The wind continued for a long moment; shrubbery and small animals raced past them, pulled into the field. As suddenly as it had started, the wind died away. Thor peeked his head around the trunk only to be tugged roughly back behind it by Loki, who shook his head.

A thud sounded from the field, Thor could feel it deep in his chest. Then an ear splitting explosion lit the world. Tongues of blue flame stories tall roared past them, around the tree they huddled against. Thor could feel its incredible heat and squeezed closer to the middle of the tree. Nothing could be heard save for the crackling of the flames.

The gouts of blue fire died away with another wave of wind; leaving the forest around them strangely untouched.

Silence followed as the three of them stared at eachother in shock. A smile twisted Loki’s lips. “I believe… it may be over.”

Thor glanced around the trunk of the tree. The beast’s bones sat in the middle of the field, charred and blackened. The grass around them waved peacefully in the light breeze, unharmed by the deluge of ethereal fire. The skeletons of smaller unfortunate creatures surrounded the massive bones.

Weak laughter from Loki split the silence. His brother sank to the ground, shaking with laughter. Thor couldn’t help but grin despite his aching wrist and bloody cuts. He looked to Sif, who stared at him wide eyed, a pleased smile curving her features. Beginning to laugh as well, Thor slid down the trunk at sit next to his brother, exhausted and exhilarated in equal measure. Sif joined them moments later.

The three of them roused the forest with their laughter, shaking with relief. Huddling together, they relaxed and let the cool breeze of the forest and their laughter wash away their stinging wounds, if only for a moment.

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely wrote this at 1 am last night in the middle of writing a part for an entirely different series but dammit, that ragnarok trailer has made me want to write some good brother shit since I saw it. I do not even know if this fandom is at all alive anymore.


End file.
